p r i n t M A N I A

                                              

my new book



My sweet husband bought me this great book by Lotta Jansdotter for Christmas! Lotta Prints: How to Print With Anything From Potatoes to Linoleum. I  read it the other night and actually finished it! Now I'm having a blast cutting potatoes and printing on paper, canvas and my bedroom curtains!



prints on canvas



detail of curtains

practicing on paper

first page in my new sketchbook



Now can you see how easy it is for me to get distracted in a day? Sooo much to do and so little time!

chatter

cotton rose (c) samos 2010

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Now that the anticipation has come and gone I'm feeling that sense of ...what should I do now? I want to start some resolutions early like:

•  start doing yoga again regularly
•  take more walks
•  read more books
• try new recipes
• plant those bulbs (if it's not too late)
• rearrange the art studio
• finish remodeling the living room

The list goes on and on as I'm sure yours does too. But I am also feeling a sense of ease, if that's the word I'm looking for. It's this feeling of taking my time and not rushing into anything. It seems like we're always in a hurry to do this and that. Why? Is it so important that we let our lives pass us by without taking time to smell the roses, even if they are made of cotton?



daisy (c) samos 2010



handmade vs store bought

I don't know about you, but I love making gifts. I read something the other day that said one of the top ten worst gift ideas was something handmade. I couldn't believe this! With so many creative and talented people in the world, you would think that the ones that don't take part in their creative side would appreciate a handmade gift from a friend or loved one. I know I do, but that's just me. 

 I made gifts for most of my family. There were just a couple that I bought for. And if I were to buy some more, these would be my choices.



betsygrace

 

carriedawaybags



paperplanet



So what do you like? Handmade or store bought? I'd love to hear what you like.

 Until next time... Have a wonderful day!

f r o s t



morning gifts (c) samos 2010

 I've always been a morning person and one of the benefits is that you get to see early morning frost on cold wintry days.

frost

Also called hoarfrost or white frost, a covering of minute ice needles, formed from the atmosphere at night upon the ground and exposed objects when they have cooled by radiation below the dew point, and when the dew point is below the freezing point.



frost (c) samos 2010




pine frost (c) samos 2010

 

happy friday from the cool gang

If only they knew what I was really doing with their pictures...don't we have the coolest dogs ever? I just love them so much! Somedays Lexi and I like to play dress up, but she's thankful that I was in the mood to play digitally today.

venezia (c) samos 2010

Here is a new mixed media painting that I finished this morning. Venezia is part of the travel series I'm workin on. I took one of my old photographs of some gondolas, did a photo transfer, painted, stamped and collaged the canvas. It didn't quite turn out the way I had envisioned, but I guess I could always do another one. I have plenty of pictures to work with. Although I believe Amsterdam will be next. I've been thinking about that one for awhile and have the image picked out already. Do you have pictures of your travels that you'd like as a keepsake on canvas? I'd love to paint one for you!



Have a wonderful weekend!

cool finds

kiwikake

lightexture

bodylure

The Perfect Christmas Tree

David and I went hunting for a Christmas tree with my dad up Bear Creek this weekend. I haven't been up there since I was a little girl! It is so beautiful. Anyways, the weather was perfect, sunny and calm. We went traipsing through the woods, each tree looking better than the next. I wanted a smaller tree than we normally get since our living room seems to be getting crowded with furniture and our new stove. David found the perfect tree! And of course the one my dad picked was a beauty too. It was a lot of fun, even crossing over the beaver dam.

The ornament exchange has come to an end, but not without the joy of collecting ten new ornaments! I made three different ornaments: a Xmas tree, a joy bell, and a heart snowflake. I sent one to each person on the list. In return, women from all over sent me beautiful, handmade ornaments that now have a home on our gorgeous little Christmas tree.

I just LOVE it!